Prince of Thieves
by Thallein
Summary: She was a foreign princess; a gift from the Grecian King to the Prince of Egypt. This was a fate she had long since accepted. What she didn't expect was to be abducted by a certain white-haired tomb robber enroute to the Egyptian Capital. (Tea/Bakura)
1. Chapter One

Summary: She was a foreign princess; a gift from the Grecian king to the Prince of Egypt. This was a fate she had long since accepted. What she didn't expect was to be abducted by a certain white-haired tomb robber en route to the Egyptian Capital. (Tea/Bakura)

Disclaimer: Yugioh does not belong to me! Don't people get tired of these things?! 

  
  


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Prince of Thieves

  
  


Prologue

  
  


The night was still. No human soul dared to roam the land after the great sun god had settled to the west. The air was cool; a great contrast to the scorching heat of the day. The wind picked up suddenly, causing ripples of sand and dust to billow across the desert landscape. The moon broke through the clouds for a brief second, blanketing the slumbering kingdom with its silvery glow. 

A figure of a man moved silently across the shadows. His eyes scanned the surrounding area quickly before stopping at the base of the mountain. His experienced hands moved swiftly across the limestone rock, brushing away dirt and sand, before making contact with the slight wedge. With a low grunt, he attempted to push the rock out of the way. Gravel and pebbles rained against the side of the mountain, before the stone relented with a low rumble. Checking one last time to be certain he was alone, the man dropped to his knees and crawled through the small opening. 

Rising to his feet, the man took out a flint from his pack along with a wooden torch. Tiny stick figures being impaled with a wooden spear decorated the entrance of the tomb. The man ran a finger along the art decor, excitement shot through him. It was a warning of the price a tomb robber must pay for disturbing the sacred burial ground of a pharaoh. A low chuckle escaped his throat. He did not intend to get caught. 

Shadows receded to tiny crevices as he wielded the torch in front of him. Rubbles crunched under his foot, but other than that, all was silent. He halted when he came to a fork in the passageway. The once simple path had now split into three. Pulling the Papyrus map out of his pack, he quickly scanned it. His eyes narrowed as he took a step into the left corridor. His fingers glided along the damp wall. Not five feet into the route, and he stopped dead in his track. Slowly, he looked down towards the floor. The taut string glistened in the torch light, humming in the silence. The place where his fingers were touching seemed to shift beneath his skin. He watched in amazement as tiny holes within the wall opened up. 

"Fuck," breaking out of his stupor, he dropped his pack and made a mad dash through the corridor. Leaping into the air, he came crashing down on the floor, rolling to a stop a few feet away. Arrows whistled over his head, hitting the wall on the opposite side. He layed on his stomach, until the assault ended. His breathing was heavy as he slowly pushed himself to his knees. He had escaped unharmed. Looking over his shoulder to his pack, he grimaced. His supplies were not so fortunate. Walking back, he picked up the bag, and yanked out the dozen arrows that had speared it. 

Crunching the wood under his foot, he chuckled. They couldn't get him that easily. 

Slinging the bag over his shoulder, he headed forward. Suddenly he stopped again. There was a slight rumble in the air. The walls around him seemed to vibrate with the force of it. Too late, he realized. It was a trap. Turning around, he saw the entrance to the corridor was blocked. A dozen guards stood with their spears in hand. 

"There's no escape," the low voice echoed off the limestone tomb, cackling with glee. "thief."

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Chapter One 

  
  


The waves lapped gently against the side of the ship, causing the wooden boat to sway to the rhythm of the Nile. A warm breeze picked up from the south, rippling through the water and tangling its fingers in his blonde hair. The loud bustle of civilization reached his ears, and he left his post by the stern to stand by the side of the ship. 

Women were filling water into large pots and loading them onto donkeys. Teams of workmen were making mud bricks, and children were swimming, shouting and laughing. He couldn't help but smile at the joyous sounds. The smile froze then dropped when he turned around and saw the girl sitting serenely under the sun canopy. Despite the covering, flecks of sunlight had managed to stream through the fabric and onto her face. Her eyes were closed, and wisps of short brown hair fluttered around her cheeks on the sea breeze. Her lips seemed to be fixed in a perpetually sad smile, and her hands were clasped loosely together on her lap. 

He approached her reluctantly "Princess."

Her face remained languid. If he didn't catch the slight movement of her hands, he would have thought her to be asleep.

"Are we here?"

Joey almost reeled back in surprise at the sound of her voice. During their entire journey, he had only heard the Grecian princess speak a few times. And only when it was necessary to thank someone for helping her. "Ya...yes."

Her lips curved into a heart wrenching smile. "Thank you."

Joey's insides twisted at the thought of what awaited her in Egypt. 

  
  
  
  
  
  


~*~

  
  
  
  


He pitied her.

She could hear it in his voice, see it in his eyes when he glanced her way. Tea's hands clenched into a tight fist at the thought. She didn't want his pity. It was her fate after all. To be handed from her father to the prince of Egypt as if she was nothing more than an article of clothing. A boon to be given away to ensure the peace between the two territories. 

Tea felt the ship jolt as the wood groaned and the bottom of the boat slid across the Nile's sandbank before coming to a halt. 

The crew bustled aboard. Tea looked up to see the blonde bodyguard her father hired to escort her to Egypt issuing orders. Joseph, she believed that was his name. He gave her a reassuring smile before pulling her to her feet. 

"Princess."

Tea turned towards the origin of the voice. The man's shaved head gleamed in the sunlight as he bowed. "As a servant of gods, I welcome you to the land of Ra." He said in carefully pronounced Greek.

Tea suddenly felt trapped. Tampering down the urge to turn and run, she accepted the hand that was offered by the priest. It closed over her smaller one, like the door slamming shut in a cage. There was no escape.

  
  


~*~

  
  


The priest led the procession down the dirt path, his leopard-skin robe ruffled slightly as he walked in front of her. Her blonde bodyguard was ever present by her side. Egyptian servants followed behind them as they made their trek towards the temple.

Through the corner of her eyes she could see the crowd gathered on the side of the road to watch the procession that was taking place. Their soft whispers drifted to Tea's ears. Though she was fluent in Egyptian, courtesy of the many lessons her father had pressed onto her, Tea couldn't help the wave of panic that assailed her at hearing the native dialect. 

"Don't worry," Tea looked up at her bodyguard in surprise. He had talked to her again. It was not expected for her bodyguard to keep her company or make conversation. As long as he delivered her to her destination he would get the hefty payment.

Tea was about to reply when she saw his eyes narrow. He held up his hand and the party stopped. Tea noticed belatedly that a hush had fallen over the area. 

A shout broke out through the crowd and Tea turned her head sharply to the right as a man was shoved roughly through the mob of people. With a hiss, he landed in a heap in front of the Priest's feet. 

Tea stared in shock at the man. He was beautiful! His white hair gleamed in the sun light as he coughed at the dust that had been roused when his body collided with the sandy pavement. 

Tea took a step forward but her blonde companion stopped her. She looked up at him in confusion then back down at the man lying helplessly on the ground. She sucked in her breath when her eyes lit on his battered face. The man had managed to push himself to a sitting position. Mock amusement danced in his eyes as he regarded her. An involuntary shutter coursed up her spine and she quickly turned away.

The man laughed. The rough sound drawing Tea's gaze back to him but he had already dismissed her from his mind. "Priest," he drawled, sitting leisurely on the ground, looking to all the world like he was enjoying every moment of it, instead of been shoved roughly onto the pavement a moment ago. 

"You," the priest's voice was soft, but Tea couldn't help but notice the underlying current behind the single word.

The man spat on the ground as he raised his bound wrists up to his face. "What the hell is this?"

"This man," for the first time, Tea noticed the two Egyptian guards that stood behind the white-haired captive. "We found him inside one of the pharaoh's tombs on the west side of the Nile."

A low murmur erupted from the crowd.

"What have you got to say about this?" The priest took a step forward. "You know the punishment for such a crime?"

"He's a tomb robber." Tea heard her bodyguard breathe out. 

What did they do to tomb robbers?

"Take him away," the priest ordered. "His execution shall take place tomorrow at noon for all to see. Death by impalement."

Tea flinched at those words. Just like her, this man's fate was decided by someone else.

The man's shoulder started shaking. Sympathy swelled within Tea at the sight of his bent head. Then she glimpsed it; the smirk on his lips. He threw his head back, and Tea got a clear view of his expression. Tea's eyes widened at the sight. He wasn't crying. He was laughing. A low chuckle that started at the base of his throat and slowly exploded into a howling maniacal roar.

As abruptly as the laugh had erupted, it ceased. "You think these puny restrains will keep me until tomorrow?" 

One of the guards jerked on the rope holding his arm, and the man was sent sprawling forward on his elbows. He swore violently under his breath. "Fucking priest! If you aren't a gutless coward, you'll fight me yourself, instead of having others do your dirty work."

The priest's face remained stoic. "Take him away."

Tea felt Joey's hand guide her past the tomb robber. Despite herself, she couldn't help but turn back once more to look at him. He remained on the floor, his eyes forming dangerous slits behind his messy white bangs. His expression promised murder.

  
  
  
  


~*~

  
  
  
  


Tea folded her hands neatly on her lap.

Joey stopped eating and regarded the girl across from him. "Don't you like it?" He indicated to the assortment of vegetables and fruits on the table. 

Tea shook her head "No, I..."

Joey slowly got to his feet. "You should eat something. Tomorrow's journey will be hard. We're travelling on land from this point on."

Without looking up, Tea knew her bodyguard had left the room. The sun had set by the time they made it to the temple. The priest had led them to their rooms, and suggested that they rest for the night. Tomorrow he would discuss the route they should take to reach the Egyptian Capital. 

Tea also got up. Despite her weariness, she walked over to the window and looked up at the sky. The moon and stars had decided not to shine tonight, leaving the sky a dusky black. The window to Tea's room faced the garden, and Tea frowned as she saw the leaves on the trees sway in the night breeze. She had a garden at home too. A garden much grander than this one. With red, blue and white flowers that she and her mother planted every spring. Leaning against the opening, Tea reached out with her hand, almost as if she could touch those flowers. Shaking her head, Tea slid to the floor underneath the window. She missed her home.

  
  
  
  
  
  


~*~

  
  
  
  
  
  


The rope was tight. Bakura scowled. No matter how much he tried to loosen it, the damn thing just wound tighter around his wrist, biting into his skin and leaving a nasty red gash. 

"Bakura."

Bakura's head shot up at the smooth voice. Damn, but he was so adamant about freeing himself, he hadn't noticed the heavy footfalls outside his cell. Forcing himself to relax, he smiled lazily from his spot on the ground. "So, you've finally decided to show your ugly face, Sharuk?"

There was a low chuckle. The man walked out of the shadows, his eyes were a dull gold that matched his leopard skin robe. "Tell me, Bakura, how does it feel to be the one locked up in a cell awaiting death."

Pushing himself off the floor, he walked over to the cell door. Studying his dirty nails as if they were the most fascinating things in the world. "Now now, Sharuk, are you still angry over that little incident?"

A fist shot through the metal bars and grabbed a fistful of Bakura's hair. He felt his head being yanked forward, until his face slammed into the cold steel. Bakura felt his lips split open with the impact.

"You filthy thief," his assailant seethed. "That incident almost caused me my life."

Then he was shoved backwards, colliding roughly with the floor. Bakura sat still for a moment, his body protesting against the abuse. He hadn't completely healed from the beating he received at the tomb the day before. But he'd be damned if he let Sharuk see that. Licking his lips, he smiled in pleasure at the warm metallic taste of blood. Looking up at the furious priest, Bakura laughed. 

"Why you--" Sharuk's hands fisted around the bars as if he was prepared to rip open the cell door to get to the occupant on the other side. Suddenly he let his arms drop to his side and relaxed. "There's no point in getting riled up over a filthy rat such as yourself. Tomorrow," he turned to leave. "We'll see if you'll be laughing tomorrow, Bakura." 

"Watch him," he brushed past the guard on his way out. "Make sure he doesn't escape, or you'll be replacing him at the end of the spear tomorrow."

The guard sputtered then bowed in respect as the priest made his way out.

Bakura snorted. He needed to loosen his arms and get the hell out of here. He eyed the guard standing rigidly by the entrance. His eyes sliding to the ring of keys and the knife around his belt. If he could only get the useless guard's attention and coax him into coming over to the cell.

"Hey, you."

The guard remained at his post. He didn't so much as twitch.

"Can't you do anything but squirm under Sharuk's toenail?" Bakura shouted. "Gutless dog."

The guard's head turned sharply towards Bakura. "What the hell did you say?"

Perfect.

  
  
  
  


~*~

  
  


With a final, brutal wrench of his bound wrists, he felt something snap, and the body go limp. Looping his arms over the guard's head, he watched with a strange sense of detachment as the body slid lifelessly down the cell bars like a broken doll. Bakura smiled, so the damn ropes came in handy after all. 

Kneeling down, the tomb robber suddenly hissed in pain. The Egyptian guard had gotten in a few forceful jabs with his elbow. His ribs weren't completely in one piece, but he had survived worst.

He ripped the knife and keys from the dead guard's belt. The blade sliced through the rope easily. Rotating his wrist to get the blood flowing again, Bakura hurriedly jammed the keys into the hole. He let out a frustrated growl when the first one didn't fit.

Bakura stilled when he heard the distant sound of footsteps and laughter. Usually he would be able to take on a few guards by himself -gladly take on a few guards by himself- but in his battered condition, he'd be lucky if he got in a solid punch. Ripping the keys from the ring, Bakura's hand became frantic as he searched for the right one. There was a distinct click and the door became loose. 

Flinging the door open, Bakura trampled over the body and raced down the corridor to the entrance of the jail. Ducking behind a column, Bakura waited until the two sentries passed him. There were too many patrols tonight. His escape would not come easily. He laughed, the challenge was exhilarating. 

Racing up the steps, he turned the corner and came face to face with the blonde Greek he had seen earlier. The Grecian's eyes widened in recognition and surprise.

Swearing under his breath, Bakura doubled back before the man could utter a word. 

"Tomb robber!" the shout followed him around the corner and down the hall. Footsteps echoed in the background, as the temple guards were alerted. 

Holding his hand against his ribs in hope of abating the sharp stabs of pain he was feeling, Bakura rounded another corner and stãpped in his track.

It was a dead end. 

He was about to turn back, but the shouts were too close. Looking around, he flung the first door he saw open. His eyes scanned the room quickly. There was no place to hide. 

Without hesitation, Bakura ran over to the window and jumped the two stories to the garden below. 

  
  
  
  


~*~

  
  
  
  
  
  


Blinking several times to clear the haze of sleep from her mind, Tea yawned. She was still curled up beneath her window, but something had awakened her from her slumber. Peering into the darkness of her room, Tea held her breath as she listened for anything that could have disturbed her rest.

There was a loud thump outside her window. Tea instantly got to her feet. 

Opening the door, Tea sneaked a peak outside. "Joseph?" there was no answer. Tea frowned, she could have sworn she heard something.

Thump.

There it was again. Leaving the door slightly ajar, Tea took a tentative step into the garden. "Anyone?"

  
  
  
  


~*~

  
  
  
  
  
  


It must have been a fabrication of her sleep deprived mind, Tea concluded as she wandered through the garden. There was nothing out here. The month of travelling on foot, then on ship must have taken its toll on her, and she was becoming delusional. The pharaoh would surely cast her away if he found her to be crazy. And then where would she go?

Tea cast her eyes upon the heavens as if beseeching the answer. The silence of the night was her only response. Shaking her head, Tea turned to make her way back to her room, when a flash of white caught her attention. 

A blast of wind sailed through the garden, rattling the branches in the trees and sweeping the fallen leaves from the floor. Tea shivered as its icy fingers raced up her spine. The wind died down as suddenly as it had came, leaving the leaves to dance in the air before slowly drifting to the ground. Tea stood frozen in her spot. An unnatural sort of stillness had settled over the garden, and for some inexplicable reason, she didn't want to be the one to break it. 

Then she saw it again. The wisp of silver against the trunk of the tree.

Slowly releasing the breath, Tea had just realized she was holding, she took a step forward, and promptly sucked the breath back in. It was man, Tea realized. The flash of silver had been his hair. Her stomach twisted when Tea belatedly noticed that he wasn't moving.

Run. A small part of her screamed. Run now.

Ignoring the voice, and willing her legs to co-operate, Tea took an unsteady step towards him. Then another, and another and then she gasped.

Tea's stare fixated in awe at the crimson orbs that stared back at her.

"Are you--" her voice caught in her throat when his arm suddenly shot up and grasped her wrist in a bruising grip.

A slow and deliberate smile slid up his lips. "You are mine," he sneered.

  
  
  
  


TBC

  
  
  
  


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A/N: It seems I've developed a love for alt. pairings, and Tea/Bakura has just warmed its way into my heart. ^_^ I actually wrote this to get over my writer's block for my other fic, so I am not quite sure whether I should continue on with this. Leave a review and tell me if you think this is worth the time. Thanks for reading. 

  
  



	2. Chapter Two

Taking a tentative step towards the motionless figure, Tea gasped. Her eyes fixated in awe at the crimson orbs that stared back at her.

"Are you--" her voice caught in her throat when his arm suddenly shot up and grasped her wrist in a bruising grip.

A slow and deliberate smile slid up his lips. "You are mine," he sneered.

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Chapter Two

  
  


Tea did the first thing that came to mind. She screamed.

He was on her in an instant. His fingers wrapped around her throat with enough force to have Tea choking for air.

"Don't you do that. Ever." he hissed.

Tea swallowed the scream lodged in her throat. Her fingers wrapped around his wrist in a desperate attempt to pull him off of her. 

"Let-- let go. Please." 

To her horror, his eyes took on a predatory glint.

"No."

Suddenly she was propelled backwards, until her body slammed into the cold brick wall. Her head collided with the concrete and snapped forward with a sharp crack. Somewhere, she heard her assailant's crazed laugh. The sound echoed in her head, luring her into a darkness that threatened to engulf her whole.

Tea closed her eyes in disbelief. She was going to die.

  
  
  
  
  
  


~*~

  
  
  
  
  
  


There was nothing that excited him more than nearing the brink of a kill. Bakura could feel the adrenaline pumping in his veins, filling him with pleasure and overruling his brain.

The girl's eyes clouded with pain as she struggled against him. Her lips opened to scream, but all that came out was a choked sob before her eyelids fluttered close. 

Bakura only laughed at her effort.

"Tea?"

The tomb robber's head snapped up at the sound. On reflex, he pulled the unconscious girl with him into the foliage and waited.

The blonde Grecian burst through under the archway to the garden. Bakura let the plants envelop him fully when Sharuk and a dozen guards exploded into the clearing.

"Tea!" the Grecian disappeared into the adjacent room, only to return moments later with a furious look on his face. "That filthy thief!" he cursed. "He's got the Grecian princess."

"I don't care by whatever means necessary, I want that tomb robber's head!" Sharuk growled.

"But--"

"Now!" the guards visibly flinched before scurrying out of the garden.

Bakura slowly rose from his spot. "Fools," he scoffed at the idea of being caught by a bunch of imbeciles. 

Raising an eyebrow, he regarded the unconscious girl curiously. Grecian princess, eh? She could prove useful to him, yet. 

Dark clouds drifted across the sky, casting the ground in shadows. When the moon broke through a second later, the garden was empty. 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


~*~

  
  
  
  
  
  


She could sense the light just beyond her closed eyelids. Tea moaned and rolled onto her side, away from the brightness that was slowly penetrating her groggy mind. The creak of wood and the click of a latch told her her bodyguard had entered the room.

"Another minute, Joseph." Tea mumbled into the hay stack.

Stillness greeted her ears.

Tea's eyebrows drew together in a frown. Something didn't feel right. She was almost certain that she was forgetting something terribly important. Tea's eyelids shot up.

Oh Gods!

"Joseph?" Tea surged to a sitting position, her hands coming up to shield the stream of moonlight pouring in through the small window and into her unsuspecting eyes.

"So you've finally decided to wake up."

Tea whipped around at the voice, and was met with only darkness. Slowly rising to her feet, she scanned the room frantically for the speaker. 

"Who's there?" she demanded.

The room was eerily silent.

Under the silvery glow of the moon, everything seemed surreal, almost dreamlike. Tea took a step back, stumbling in her stupor and came in contact with something hard and warm. 

No, not a dream, Tea realized, it was a nightmare! 

Strong grips locked onto her arm and spun her around. 

Her breath caught in her throat as the shadow took a step into the light. White hair glistened silver, as inky black pools stared into her eyes, threatening to infect her soul. Tea stood frozen in shock as he leaned in, she could feel the cynical smile on his lips as he touched it to the pulse beating wildly against the base of her throat. His breath felt hot as it trailed softly up her neck, over her jaw line and into her ear. "At your service, Princess."

His voice jeered Tea out of her shock, and a fear like no other latched onto her chest, threatening to smother her from the inside out. 

"What--what do you want with me?"

Her assailant let go of her and Tea stumbled dazedly away from him. 

"Who are you?"

His eyes narrowed into dangerous slits at her question.

Tea took a step back and shook her head. "I don't care who you are, but you-- you better let me go."

At his silence, the frightened princess licked her lips and tried again. "My bodyguard will not rest until he finds me. Neither will the temple guards. So you are better off without me." Tea knew she was babbling, but she couldn't seem to help herself. "If you take me back to the temple, I promise, I'll convince Joseph to forget about the whole incident. In fact," Tea took a foolish step towards him, "I'll even try to ask the priest to rethink the impalement punish--"

"Enough!"

"What?" it came out as a frightened squeak.

"Who do you think you are?" the question was forced through gritted teeth as his eyes flashed with sudden anger. "You think I need help from the likes of you?"

"I was just--" Tea whimpered when she was shoved roughly to the ground.

The shadow loomed over her fallen form, and Tea shrank from the imposing figure. "This is my world, Princess."

Tea shuddered. She had to get away from here. Get away from him.

As if reading her thoughts, he dropped to his knees beside her. His voice took on a cynical note. "There is no escape. Your pathetic excuse of a Grecian guard won't be able to save you. Sharuk's useless men won't be able to save you. " He laughed. "You are mine. It'll do you good to remember that."

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


~*~ 

  
  
  
  
  
  


Bakura looked out the small window and into the dusky sky. Light from the moon wavered in the night, causing shadows to flicker in the dark. It was the perfect time to make his escape. If everything went according to plans, he would be out of Sharuk's city by midnight. 

"Put this on." he threw the dirty brown cloak at the cowering princess.

She glared at him from her position but did as he commanded. "What do you want with me?"

Ignoring her question yet again, he grabbed a fistful of dirt and smudged it along her cheeks and hands. Within the cover of the hood, she looked like any peasant girl, except for her eyes. There was nothing that could disguise the brilliant blue of it, and at the moment, her eyes blazed fiercely with a hatred of him. 

Bakura sneered, he would enjoy breaking the Grecian wench in. 

"Let's go." 

"I am not going any--" her protest stopped short as Bakura picked her up and heaved her small form over his shoulder like a bag of potatoes. 

"What are you doing?" she wailed.

The streets of the city were empty except for the occasional drunk. But if one looked carefully, one would be able to spot the peculiar shadow dashing flittingly from street to street. 

"Stop it!" Tea's small fist pounded harshly on the tomb robber's back. "Put me down."

Bakura ignored her.

"Let me down!" Bakura gritted his teeth as his captive's feets joined her fist in pummelling his body. Though she hardly had the strength to hurt him, it was getting bothersome. 

"I am warning you, I--" 

She really was more trouble than she was worth. 

"Put me down!"

"Shut up."

Tea humped. " I will not shut- eep" she was cut off when Bakura suddenly dumped her on the street. His eyes were harsh as he grabbed her wrist and jerked her towards him.

"You will shut up this instinct!" he hissed again. Bakura noted with satisfaction that fear flashed past her eyes. 

"I--" He suddenly shoved her into a nearby alley. His hand clamped over her mouth, as he pressed her body roughly against the wall. Fear of being strangled to death by the tomb robber once again, assailed her, and instinctively, Tea began struggling against him. 

"Listen!"

Her struggle became frantic as his hold on her tightened.

"Listen, God dammit!"

Tea let out a sob, but stilled when distant voices reached her ears. 

"This is hopeless." There was a sigh followed by a snort.

"He probably killed her already. But that damn Grecian won't stop whining until we find her body."

Tea let out a pained whimper when she realized the words of the Egyptian guards. Bakura pushed her further against the wall, warning her to stay quiet.

"I think he sold her off. A Grecian concubine is worth a lot around these parts."

Light outlined their forms as they stopped at the entrance of the alley. 

No! She wanted to scream. I am right here!

Her heart rammed painfully against her chest when one took a step towards them.

"Anything?"

"Nope."

They turned away.

No, don't go!

Tea felt tears stinging her eyes. They didn't see her? How could they not see her?

Their footsteps faded into the background as they passed the alley. Panic seized Tea. She wouldn't have a chance like this again. She had to escape now. Despite his captor's earlier warning, Tea bit down hard on the hand covering her mouth.

Bakura pulled back in surprise. "What the hell are you doing?"

Tea tore her mouth from under his hand. "Tomb Robber!" 

"You bitch!" her arm felt as if it was on fire as she forcefully twisted herself away from him, but her captor was nimble as his hand caught her hair, causing pain to shoot up her skull.

"What the hell is going on?" the footfalls were heading back their way. Closer than before.

Biting back tears, Tea screamed and kicked until the grip loosened.

Bakura swore as he lunched after the girl, but this time he was too late. All he caught was air as the soft brown tendrils slipped through his fingers. 

"God dammit!"

"Hey you, stop!"

"Bitch!" with one last furious glance in the direction the Grecian princess disappeared in, Bakura turned and fled. 

She would pay dearly for this act of rebellion.

  
  
  
  
  
  


~*~

  
  
  
  
  
  


Her feet hurt from all the running but she didn't stop, she couldn't stop. The voices had long since disappeared, but her heart still raced wildly within her chest, if she stopped, she was afraid it may burst out and continue on without her.

Tea cried out when her sandal caught on the pavement, and she fell forward. She sat on the ground, trying to catch her breath as the adrenaline slowly drained from her body, leaving her feeling dazed and disoriented.

She didn't know how long she sat there, huddled underneath her cloak, thinking her captor would appear any minute and drag her back. But he never came. After what felt like an eternity, Tea slowly, finally raised her head from her knees and leaned back against the wall with a sigh of relief. 

She had gotten away! The concept was almost unimaginable, but she did it. Tea let out a whoop of laughter. She was free!

With renewed hope, Tea pushed herself to her feet, and slowly surveyed her surroundings. She was in the middle of a dirty alley, crumbled down mud brick houses surrounded her from all sides, blocking out the moon and threatening to box her in the oppressive area. Tea shuddered at the thought. No, she told herself, she would not be boxed in again. She was going find the temple, locate Joseph and forget about this evening's horrifying events. 

The sound of rubbles crunching underfoot disconnected Tea's train of thought. An ominous feeling slowly pooled in her stomach.

"Now, look what we've got 'ere."

The feeling turned to dread as she turned around to face the speaker. A couple of raggedly dressed men leaned against the wall lazily, watching her from under their hooded gazes.

Not again!

Without thinking, Tea turned and ran the other way. She came to an abrupt halt as she slammed into a wall of muscles. The burly man chuckled in amusement, and Tea faltered backwards. 

"Aye don't think so, missy."

The three men's lips twisted into a cruel grin as they advanced towards her.

"'ow much ya think we can get 'er for?"

"Aye don't know, she's a pretty one that's for sure. Maybe we ought to have some fun wit her first."

Tea's eyes widened at their implications. "No, please don't." she croaked.

They didn't seem to have heard her, as muscle man pounced on her. Tea jumped back in fright, narrowly missing his outstretched arms.

"Don't run away, missy, this is gonna be fun."

Tea's irises' were dilated as she scanned the area, desperate for a route of escape. There was none. 

The first two men hung back, laughing at her panic as muscle man continued to stalk her. He was so close, she could smell his stink, hear his disgusting grunts, feel his breath as it fanned across her face.

"God, no..."

Tea screamed when he reached towards her, prepared to bite, kick and fight to her last breath. Except the touch never came. Everything was deafly silent. Tea looked up in shock to see the stalker's feature's twisted in pain. Her gaze travelled to the hand that had been reaching for her to see it twisted at an odd angle, high over her head. 

A low growl emanated from behind her.

"Touch her, and die."

  
  
  
  


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A/N: For all those that reviewed the first chapter: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your responses were great, made me all giddy inside when I was reading 'em. ^_^ Hopefully, you enjoyed this chapter just as much. And remember to leave a lil comment in the box. You'll make this struggling authoress very very happy! 

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



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